ALPINE SKI. Austria’s Benjamin Raich is set to resume training on Wednesday, six months after the former overall World Cup ski champion had knee surgery following a crash during the world championships in Germany.

The Austrian ski federation says Saturday that the 33-year-old Raich has worked on his fitness and will be back on skis for the first time for a practice session at the Rettenbach glacier in Soelden, Austria.

Raich said earlier he was hoping to start at the season-opening giant slalom race at the same course in Soelden on Oct. 23.

The 2007 overall champion, who has won 35 World Cup races, tore ligaments and damaged his cartilage and meniscus during the first run of the parallel slalom team event at the worlds in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in February.

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By Associated Press
August 13, 2011